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RAHS expansion and upgrades, $67 million worth, are underway

Mike Munzenrider
Students broke ceremonial ground Oct. 24 on the near $67 million worth of work that will renovate and expand Roseville Area High School over the next three years. The work began in earnest on the other side of the building in September, with crews ripping up the school’s tennis courts to make way for a new science wing.

courtesy of Roseville Area Schools
Architectural renderings of the new entryway and science wing show what Roseville Area High School will look like when work is complete in the fall of 2021. The expansion and renovation is being paid for by the $144 million building bond voters approved for the Roseville Area School District last fall.

courtesy of Roseville Area Schools
Architectural renderings of the new entryway and science wing show what Roseville Area High School will look like when work is complete in the fall of 2021. The expansion and renovation is being paid for by the $144 million building bond voters approved for the Roseville Area School District last fall.

On a crisp Oct. 24, nine Roseville Area High School students donned hard hats and used gold shovels in a groundbreaking ceremony marking the beginning of three years of renovation and expansion work at their school.

The nearly $67 million worth of work is possible because of the $144 million building bond voters approved for the Roseville Area School District last fall.

With many of its buildings dating to the 1950s and 60s and the last big investment in district facilities dating back roughly 25 years, the district determined all its buildings needed expensive upgrades.

RAHS is getting the biggest upgrades of the district’s dozen or so buildings — work there will include security and HVAC improvements, replacement or improvement of existing science labs, expansion of common areas, improvements of athletic spaces indoors and out, and the addition of classroom space to accommodate 300 more students.

Construction is slated to be complete by fall 2021.

Superintendent Dr. Aldo Sicoli said in a brief speech that RAHS is the district’s flagship building, adding that though there will be inconveniences for school staff, teachers and students, “We’ll all get through it and have a better facility because of it.”

The midday event drew a number of elected officials, including Roseville City Council members, school board members and state Rep. Alice Hausman.

RAHS sophomore Tamia Ugass, who helped with the groundbreaking ceremony, said it’s evident the school needs more space due to the crowded hallways in-between classes. She added she was excited about the new facilities.

For those who pass by the high school on Highway 36, it’s obvious that work there predates the Oct. 24 groundbreaking event by some time. Crews began work in mid September tearing up the school’s tennis courts, which will be the location of the new science wing.

The district won’t be mothballing those hardhats or gold shovels anytime soon. According to district Communications Supervisor Carrie Ardito, three more groundbreakings at Roseville schools are planned through the end of the year.

Next up are events at Central Park, Brimhall and Edgerton elementary schools; the next round of groundbreaking festivities begins on or around Nov. 12 and continues every two weeks from there.

For more information about how the Roseville Area Schools building bond is being spent, go to www.isd623.org and click on the “Building Our Future” link.